For Crying Out Loud: The laugh out loud romantic comedy that everyone's talking about! (The False Start Book 1)

by J. Preston

  I smile.

  It's a full on grin.

  I can’t wait to get home and tell her that I didn’t screw up. That I love her. That everything is going to be okay from now on. It’s her and me against the world, and we’re going to face whatever else life throws our way together. Jenny by my side and her palm in mine.

  I grin again at the prospect of what’s to come, at all the happiness ahead of me.

  Boy, was I wrong. All hell was about to break loose.

  33 Hey, Beautiful

  I love asking kids what they want to be when they grow up because I’m still looking for ideas.

  - Jason

  Jenny

  “Well, I'm sure it's nothing, but there are some rumours floating around campus…” Hayley says.

  “Oh?” I peer up at her. “Is it about that thing you can do with your legs? I swear I never told anyone!” Hayley laughs and shakes her head.

  “I believe you, and no, it’s not that. It’s about Chloe, actually…”

  “Wait, don't tell me! Did her spray tan get mixed up with acid like on Scream Queens? Has everyone found out she’s got a tail? She has eleven toes, doesn’t she? OH MY GOD, she finally grew horns! The Devil came to claim her!” I cover my mouth with my hands.

  “You’re funny today.” Hayley shakes her head, laughing.

  “How dare you! I'm always funny!” I gasp, aghast. “In fact, I often ponder the possibility of me being a love child between Kevin Hart and Tina Fey. That would explain my height, but not the pasty complexion.”

  Hayley stares at me blankly. “Riiiight.” Picking at the invisible fluff on my jeans, I pretend I didn't hear her. She doesn’t need to know that that last statement was too close to the truth. I mean, how do you end up a hobbit in a family of giants? Seriously! There must have been a mixup in the hospital.

  If it wasn’t for the fact that my face was the spitting image of my mother's, I’d be online now, trying to find my birth parents. Not that I’d ever leave my dad and brother behind. I’d just want to meet the suckers with such a fantastic gene pool. “Anyway,” Hayley continues. "Are you done guessing? Shall I tell you?"

  “Shoot.”

  “Well, apparently, Chloe is knocked up.”

  Whoa, whoa, whoa. “I thought her vagina had teeth! How did it even happen? Has some poor bastard gotten his penis chomped off in the process?”

  “Probably.” Hayley smirks. “Most likely, it’s just gossip anyway with not even an ounce of truth to it, but I thought the possibility of Chloe getting fat and pimply would brighten your day up!”

  “Oh it does, sister from another mister.” I grin at her. And really, it does.

  For the rest of the evening, I burst into fits of giggles every time I think of it. Hayley manages to unpack me, fold my clothes into neat squares, and put them away without batting an eyelid. She’s a saint.

  We chat for a while, making up for lost time. With all that happened in London, I forgot how much I loved her company and lighthearted humor, and, by the time we finish exchanging stories, we’re both yawning with exhaustion. Jake is happily snoring with his head on my lap, and I absentmindedly scratch behind his ear. The boys are still missing, and I’m surprised. I glance down at my watch and find out it’s almost ten o’clock. There goes their promise of bringing back dinner, I guess.

  Hayley leaves to get back to her dorm shortly after, and I make my way to the kitchen to forage for something to eat. Hunter-gatherer style, or at least a sneaky-style, since I fish out a tub of Pringles I hid behind a box of granola, knowing the guys would never reach for the ‘healthy option’ breakfast.

  Munching my way through half a tub with the speed of a thousand gazelles, I check on Edward, amazed that it’s absolutely fine and looking as fresh as a daisy. I snap a photo and post it on instagram, updating Edward's followers that the guy is still going strong.

  Instantly, my account is flooded with likes and comments. Some of them, clearly the ones who placed a bet on him going green during Christmas, are quite rude, calling the whole thing a hoax. I decide to not get myself involved in that battle. In the wise words of TayTay ‘Haters gonna hate’.

  I close the cupboard, silently bidding Edward goodnight, and think back to the time when Dad told us for the first time we would be moving. It was here, in this kitchen. I was sitting on the counter, my legs swinging while Jason was sprawled on the floor, trying to find an insect or a rodent he could call his pet. Thankfully, he was unsuccessful. I remember feeling hopeless, upset, and so angry at dad for ripping us from the only place we felt safe in, and the only place that held all our memories connected with Mom and Grandma.

  Funny how things turn out. Would we have ever met Aiden if we never moved to London? Would he still have come to Starwood to study? Would I want to go here or would I want to be as far away as possible, like so many kids that grew up in this town? Questions I’ll never know the answers to.

  Dropping the now empty Pringles tub in the bin, I head to my room and jump into a hot shower. No point waiting for the guys any longer. A girl could starve waiting on them!

  When I come back out, Jake is sprawled out on my bed looking so cute that I don’t have the heart to push him off. Instead, I towel dry my hair and change into a pair of shorts and a tank top and make my way out of the room, letting him sleep. The poor chap looked exhausted.

  Yawning, I walk over to the sofa and flick through the TV channels for a good fifteen minutes before realizing there's nothing on, not that I'm paying any attention. I’m so tired my vision is blurry, and it’s too hard to focus. I switch off the TV completely and yawn again. When I look at my watch it’s eleven, time for bed. I hope Aiden and Jason are okay; they’ve been gone for a long time. Making my way back to the bedroom, I grab my phone to call them, only to see a text from Aiden.

  AIDEN: I’m so sorry, kitten. We got held up :( We’ll be home as soon as we can. Love you :*

  I smile at the text and hold the phone to my chest, blushing, then looking around, worried that someone saw. Yup, I’m that girl. The one that goes gooey because her boyfriend sent her a kiss via text. Thankfully, only Jake's in the room. Still on my bed. Farting.

  I grimace and make a split second decision. Still holding onto my phone and grinning like an idiot, I walk across the hall to my old room. Placing my phone on the nightstand, I slip under the covers and put my head on the pillow. Aiden’s smell surrounds me like a cocoon, so I close my eyes and inhale.

  It only takes a few seconds before I’m asleep.

  A soft hand strokes my cheek and I groggily open my eyes.

  “Hey, beautiful,” he whispers from behind me in his deep voice, making my lips turn up in a smile. He places his face in the spot between my shoulder and my neck and inhales deeply. His hand snakes around my body and rests somewhere around my midsection. I shiver, instantly awake. More than awake. I'm suddenly aware of every cell in my body.

  “Hey yourself.” I smile into his cheek. “Where were you? Is everything alright?”

  “More than alright. I had to deal with something. I’ll tell you everything in the morning,” he says into my neck, his voice causing electricity to charge through my veins.

  I turn my body so that I’m on my back and reach around his neck, pulling his face towards mine and his body closer to me.

  I can feel every single gorgeous muscle in his chest as he breathes steadily. His face is mere inches from mine. I move my hands from around his neck down to his waist and am pleased to discover he's only wearing a t-shirt and boxer shorts. Impatiently, I tug his shirt up. Placing my palms on his bare back and straining up, I connect my lips with his.

  I’m rewarded with a groan, a groan that thrills my lady parts. Seriously, they do a little happy dance; Cha-Cha or Macarena, I think. But honestly, I don’t care which one, because, in that moment, Aiden pulls away from my mouth and places his gorgeous lips on my neck.

  My body tingles, and desire spreads across my skin. I'm hyper aware of every single pa
rt of Aiden that touches me, but it's not enough. Too many layers. I want more of him, I want him closer. I want his skin on my skin.

  I push him away from me. He obliges with no protest, and when I look at him, I can see the disappointment in his eyes. The boy is in for a big surprise if he thinks I’m wanting him to stop...

  Climbing from under the thin cover, I join him on top. He sits up, looking at me, puzzled. I silently reach and pull his t-shirt up and off of his gorgeous body. As soon as his t-shirt is off and those magnificent abs are making an appearance, scouting for compliments, no doubt, my hands reach for him and connect with bare skin, stroking his chest.

  Aiden’s breath hitches, and I can see the desire in his eyes. My brain sings Hallelujah and I kiss him hard. He responds instantly with a heat I’ve never felt from him before. He yanks me closer to him, and I take the opportunity to explore his body further, my hands running up and down his chest, then finally going lower, down to the band of his boxer shorts. I skim the border gently with my fingertips.

  Aiden moans into my mouth. A moan that I can feel right down to my tippy toes.

  “You can’t touch me like that and expect me to remain in control.” A clear warning in his voice, and I know that he’s on the verge of finally giving in to me. “If you do it again, I can’t be held responsible for what happens,” he croaks out.

  “Good,” I say and skim my fingers around the waistband again. His stomach muscles clench and his breath hitches. I smile, loving the effect my touch has on his body.

  “God, kitten,” he whispers, his eyes closed. “Please stop if you don’t want this to go any further,” he begs.

  I place my lips on his and kiss him deeply, then move away. Aiden’s eyes snap open and he breathes heavily. I sit up. “I want to go further,” I say with conviction, then pull my tank top off. Aiden pulls his bottom lip in between his teeth, making a dimple appear in his left cheek as his gaze roams over my face, then down to my exposed flesh, stopping for not so brief a moment on my breasts.

  My breath quickens, embarrassed under such scrutiny. Then Aiden's eyes meet mine, and he whispers, "You're so beautiful." I smile shyly and get one from him in return. "How did I get so lucky?" he muses. I could say the same, I think as my gaze roams around his gorgeous body.

  "Touch me," I say with a shaky voice. He hesitates for a few unbearable seconds, then his right hand moves slowly towards my body, resting on my hip.

  "Not there." I roll my eyes, making a corner of Aiden' s lips turn up in a crooked smile. He doesn't move his hand, though. Instead, he looks at my breasts hungrily.

  "I'm going to kiss you now." His voice is hoarse. I nod in agreement. At least I'll have his body touching mine. Maybe that will calm the fire that has started burning in my belly under his heated gaze.

  He leans towards me, and I start moving up when his hand, the one on my hip, stops my movement. He gently pushes me back onto the bed until I'm flat on the mattress with my head resting on his pillow. Then, following close behind, his face hovers above mine for a few seconds. I close my eyes in anticipation, basking in the feel of his warm breath on my cheek. Any second now, his lips will touch mine.

  Aiden shifts his weight, making the mattress dip a little, and his lips move from my face down my neck. I try to remember to breathe as goosebumps rise up where his breath connects with my skin the split second his lips touch my body I gasp, something between a cry and moan escaping my throat as I'm flooded with so much pleasure and desire I can barely think. His hand softly strokes the side of my body as he places gentle kisses on my collar bone, then lower and lower.

  One thing is clear. There is no going back now. I'll be damned if I let him weasel his way out of this now.

  Heat is pounding through my veins, my nerves on edge. With each flick of his tongue on my skin, a shiver runs down my body. Every cell inside me screams for more, and when he covers one of my nipples with his mouth, gently sucking it while his hand covers my other breast, I all but scream with pleasure.

  Aiden is successfully turning me into a puddle. A puddle of nerves and desperate with desire. Everything he does seems to singe, marking me in some way.

  “Aiden,” I moan as his lips tread down to my hip, and then my inner thigh. He stops for a moment, holding my legs in his strong arms, and looks up at me.

  “I can stop, kitten, if you want?” he croaks, placing a kiss on my thigh and moving upwards, his body covering mine. At the feel of his naked skin on mine, my legs instinctively open up for him, wrapping around him. The only thing between us is the flimsy material of our underwear.

  “It’s not that, I’m just nervous.” The words escape me. “I don’t know what to expect. Will it hurt?”

  “It’s okay if you’re not ready. We can wait.” He smiles a gentle smile as he strokes my cheek with the back of his hand. “There’s no hurry. We’ve got our entire lives in front of us. I’m not going anywhere.” His words tug at my heart, and the fear starts dissipating.

  “I want to make love to you,” I whisper and move my body against his. His length presses against me, and I gasp at the same time he sharply inhales. Heat pools in my lower stomach at the feeling of him against me.

  “Are you sure?” His eyes are questioning, and his concern pushes me over the edge.

  “Yes,” I say. Pulling him closer, I cover his mouth with mine, joining us in a deep kiss, and instantly move against him, my legs wrapping tighter around his middle. Aiden moans and pulls his mouth away from mine, pushing himself to his arms and away from me. His hips are still pressed against me, I gleefully note.

  “Let me do this right,” he says, his eyes dark and his voice hoarse. “Let me make sure you’re ready. Let me love you,” he pleads. I nod almost imperceptibly, but that’s all the confirmation Aiden needs as he pulls himself away and starts trailing kisses down my collarbone, causing me to squirm from the pleasure that floods me. He takes his time exploring and probing my body with his lips, gently kissing and nipping, stopping every so often to make sure that I’m okay. By the time his lips make it back down to the thigh he left so abruptly earlier on, I am positively panting like a dog in heat.

  His mouth hovers over my bare skin, then his tongue darts out as he gently caresses up my inner thigh towards my underwear. He presses his finger against my centre and strokes leisurely up and down. “Your panties are soaked.” I blush. “Fuck, that’s so sexy.” His nose touches the same spot, and he inhales. “You smell so good.” He licks my underwear. “I’m going to remove these now,” he says, lifting the band of my panties. My body trembles as Aiden’s skilful fingers trace the pattern of the material before gently pulling them down my legs and over my ankles. And just like that, I am completely naked.

  Nerves are wreaking havoc in my brain, and I clutch my thighs tightly together. Aiden just strokes and kisses the sides of my legs, and then goes back to my breast, his glorious tongue flicking my nipples until I can’t bear it any more.

  Forgetting all about the nerves, I start moaning, and, before I know it, my legs are being gently spread by his big hands. He lowers himself back down, positioning his face right between them.

  “I’m going to kiss you now,” he says hoarsely, and before I have the time to think, to process, his tongue connects with my pussy. I cry out as my hips buck. What in the name of all that is holy is this magic? I can’t control my moans as Aiden’s tongue keeps licking and sucking at my clit, making circles and patterns I can’t comprehend in my muddled brain.

  My fist is clenched, and to stop myself from screaming in pleasure I pound it into the mattress without realizing.

  Aiden hesitates. “Don’t stop,” I almost beg. He chuckles at my words and dives back in with renewed vigor. This time, he licks fervently, going from clit to lips, then back to clit. I moan when he pushes a finger into me, stroking me from the inside as his mouth devours me whole.

  “Aiden,” I plead as his finger picks up speed.

  “You taste so good,” he groans in reply. A
groan that reverberates down my legs, making me push against his finger frantically. He slips a second finger into me and starts pumping. I can’t control the sounds escaping my mouth as he sucks, then circles his tongue around my clit, over and over again. This feels like sensation overload, and I don’t think I can take it much longer. Heat starts pulling in my brain, breasts, my legs. I can’t take it anymore and as he growls into my pussy. With a loud moan, I go over the edge. My upper body lifts off the bed in a spasm as pleasure spreads all over my body. I try to push Aiden’s head away from me, but he keeps continuing his actions, making me come for what feels like hours.

  As my body calms down, Aiden’s kisses get gentler and less frantic, as if he knows how it feels. I can’t believe what just happened. And finally, I admit to myself that Aiden has me in the palm of his hand. If he can make me feel like this, I don’t want to leave this bed, ever.

  Why would people want to ever leave their beds? Go to work? No, thank you. Now, can you please go down on me again? Yup, that’s my new motto.

  Aiden lifts his head from between my legs and brings his glistening fingers to his lips, sucking at them as he closes his eyes with pleasure. I should feel embarrassed, but I don’t. I feel sexy and empowered and ready for more.

  “You’re so fucking hot,” he says, his eyes hooded with desire. “And you taste like goddamned strawberries.” He shakes his head as I throw all shyness out the window and pull him in for a kiss.

  He presses his body against me, and I can feel how hard he is. My body tightens at the sensation of him against me, and, once again, I start wanting to feel him inside me.

  I pull at Aiden so that he rolls on his side, then push him onto his back so that I land on top of him. I sit up in all my naked glory, feeling his boxer shorts against my skin. Aiden’s eyes roam over my naked body, and his hands reach out, gripping my hips as he moves against me in fluid motions that make my back arch.